Syracuse firefighter injured in fall during fire on James Street

Syracuse, NY -- A firefighter was injured early Saturday when he fell about 12 feet into a shaft of a wheelchair lift while searching a burning building on James Street.

Firefighters were called at 2:10 a.m. to 447 James Street, where there was a smoky fire inside one of three businesses the building houses, Syracuse fire investigator Tony Morgan said.

The firefighter, whose name has not been released, was performing a search of the building in the smoke-filled building when he opened a door he thought was to a stairwell, Morgan said. Instead, it was the shaft of a wheelchair lift and the firefighter tumbled in, Morgan said.

The smoke in the building was so thick that the firefighter could not see as he made his search, Morgan said. The firefighter was treated for a sprained ankle, he said.

There was no one in the building and firefighters had to force their way inside, Morgan said. The fire was put out in about five minutes, he said.